Method and means for yarn retrieval

ABSTRACT

In the automatic servicing of an end-down condition at a delivery of a textile spinning frame or the like, wherein yarn is sucked from the bobbin and thereafter traveler-threaded and joined with yarn issuing from the frame&#39;&#39;s delivery rolls, satisfactory suction-retrieval of the bobbin yarn is facilitated by elevating and relatively slowly rotating the bobbin in an unwinding direction, by directing an air blast upwardly through the spinning ring along the surface of the bobbin yarn, and by beating such surface. Excessive twist-loss within the yarn withdrawn from the bobbin after its free end has been retrieved is minimized by rotating the bobbin relatively rapidly in an unwinding direction during such withdrawal. The bobbin is elevated and rotated without being unseated from its spindle. A beater effectively frees the end of the bobbin yarn without deteriorating the same, and, in one embodiment, frees itself of any entanglement which might inadvertently occur.

United States Patent Escursell-Prat 51 May 23, 1972 METHOD AND MEANS FORYARN RETRIEVAL [72] Inventor: Roberto Escursell-Prat, Rda. GeneralMitre, 105 4.,l., Barcelona 6, Spain [22] Filed: Sept. 24, 1969 21 Appl.No.: 860,501

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 3,309 3/1964 Japan ..57/34 PrimaryExaminer-Stanley N. Gilreath Assistant Examiner-Werner H. SchroederAttorney-Joseph H. Heard [57] ABSTRACT In the automatic servicing of anend-down condition at a delivery of a textile spinning frame or thelike, wherein yarn is sucked from the bobbin and thereaftertraveler-threaded and joined with yarn issuing from the frames deliveryrolls, satisfactory suction-retrieval of the bobbin yarn is facilitatedby elevating and relatively slowly rotating the bobbin in an unwindingdirection, by directing an air blast upwardly through the spinning ringalong the surface of the bobbin yarn, and by beating such surface.Excessive twist-loss within the yarn withdrawn from the bobbin after itsfree end has been retrieved is minimized by rotating the bobbinrelatively rapidly in an unwinding direction during such withdrawal. Thebobbin is elevated and rotated without being unseated from its spindle.A beater efiectively frees the end of the bobbin yarn withoutdeteriorating the same, and, in one embodiment, frees itself of anyentanglement which might inadvertently occur.

38 Chins, 7 Drawing figures PATENTEUMM 23 I912 sum 1 m 3 fNVENTOR ROBE/QT0 ESCURSELL PRAT ,4 rro/elvays METHOD AND MEANS FOR YARN RETRIEVALBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The term yarn as used herein is intended toencompass all types of textile threads, rovings, slivers, filaments,yarns and the like.

It is known to rejoin, replace, or otherwise piece broken yarns ontextile spinning frames and like machines of the ringtraveler type byautomatic piecing apparatus. Illustrative of some of the various typesof known automatic yam-piecing apparatus, and/or components therefor,are those disclosed in U. S. Pat. Nos. Re. 26,230, 3,373,551, and3,403,866, and in Japanese Patent Publications Nos. 12866/64, 4820/66and U. M. 2809/67. Such apparatus may and frequently does include apatrolling carriage which is automatically stopped adjacent any deliveryof a spinning frame at which there exists an enddown condition by reasonof yarn breakage. The first phase of the piecing operation may includeretrieving the end of yarn previously wound upon the bobbin at thedelivery. Altematively, a new bobbin already containing some yarn may besubstituted for that upon the spindle at the delivery being serviced. Ineither event, yarn upon either the original or the substituted bobbin isretrieved therefrom, frequently at least in part by suction-extraction,and is thereafter traveler-threaded and joined in any one of variouspossible ways with the yarn issuing from the delivery rolls of thespinning frame at the delivery in question.

Attempts have heretofore been made to facilitate suction or retrieval ofthe bobbin yarn by contemporaneously elevating and rotating the bobbinin an unwinding direction, and/or by mechanically or pneumaticallydisrupting the surface of the bobbin yarn in an effort to free its endfor passage into the suction inlet. Elevating of the bobbin asheretofore attempted has involved unseating the bobbin from, and raisingit relative to, its supporting spindle. This requires the provision of arelatively complex mechanism, including a bobbin gripper or a chuck ofsome type, in the piecing apparatus. Apart from their expense andsusceptibility to mechanical failure, such mechanisms are unreliable inoperation. Contributing at least in part to such unreliability is thefact that the forces required to unseat and then subsequently re-seat abobbin relative to its supporting spindle vary greatly depending upon anumber of factors including the type and condition of the bobbins andbobbin clutches used upon the spinning frame.

Problems have also at times been encountered with known constructionswhich attempt to avoid the foregoing difficulties by allowing thebobbin-yarn package to remain seated during the application ofend-retrieving suction forces to its surface. The suction is customarilyapplied to the chase-surface of the package immediately above thespinning ring encircling the same, since the free yarn end is mostlikely to be there located. On occasion, however, the yarn end willduring suction application be disposed within or below the spinningring, due to its either having dropped downwardly following breakage ordue to upward displacement of the spinning ring with the frames ringrail under the influence of its pick motion. On such occasions the yarnend may not be retrieved by the mere application of suction, and thepiecing operation therefore fails.

The same result also ensues if the yarn end, even if located above thespinning ring, adheres too strongly to the surface of the bobbin-yarnpackage to be dislodged and retrieved by suction alone. Prior attemptsto obviate this problem by mechanically or pneumatically disrupting suchsurface have not been entirely successful. In some instances the surfacedisruption has failed to effectively dislodge the yarn end. In otherinstances it has failed to so direct the dislodged end to the suctioninlet that the same can be thereby retrieved, and instead permits thedislodged end to drop downwardly through the ring, causing the problemsnoted previously herein. Certain of the previously attempted techniquesof surface-disruption have also deteriorated the yarn to such an extentthat it either breaks during subsequently ensuing operations, resultingin failure of the piecing efiort, or is of deficient quality notsatisfactory for its contemplated ultimate use.

Failure of the piecing operation due to twist-loss in or otherdeterioration of the yarn has also heretofore sometimes occurred while alength of yarn, succeeding the retrieved end and sufficiently long toextend to the frame s delivery rolls, has been unwound from the bobbinand sucked or otherwise conveyed upwardly. Heretofore the bobbin hasbeen rotated relatively slowly in an unwinding direction at the outsetof each suction-retrieval operation, to facilitate initial retrieval ofthe yarn end by the suction device, and then rotated at the samerelatively slow speed during that remaining portion of the operationwhen the length of yarn succeeding such retrieved end is unwound fromthe bobbin. Completion of the terminal portion of the operation hastherefore required an appreciable amount of time, during which time thepreviously withdrawn yarn is subjected to twist-loss and/or to continuedsuction forces. Apart fromthe delay occasioned in the overall piecingcycle by the aforesaid time lag, the twist-loss or other deteriorationof the yarn may make piecing impossible, particularly in those instanceswhen twist within the bobbin yarn is relied upon to effect final joiningof such yarn with that issuing from the frame s delivery rolls.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides an improvedmethod and apparatus for more rapidly and reliably retrieving the bobbinyarn, without deteriorating the same, even when the yarn end is stronglyadhered to the surface of the bobbin-yarn package or is disposed withinor beneath the spinning ring encircling such package. The aforesaidbenefits are realized without unseating the bobbin from its supportingspindle, and without introducing into the yarn retrieving operationtroublesome complexities and deficiencies such as attendantbobbin-elevating and/or surface-disrupting attempts previously made byothers.

In accordance with the present invention, the bobbin-yarn package andits supporting spindle are elevated and rotated in unison, withoutdisturbing the seated relationship therebetween, as suction or otheryarn-retrieval forces are applied to the surface of the packageimmediately above the spinning ring encircling it and the spindle. Atthe outset of the suction-retrieval operation, the package is rotatedrelatively slowly in an unwinding direction and the full vertical extentof its chase-surface, which by reason of the aforesaid elevation maythen be completely exposed above the encircling spinning ring, may besubjected to repeated glancing blows from a resilient-bladed beaterdisposed adjacent the suction inlet and rotating faster than and in theopposite direction from the bobbin-yarn package. The end of the bobbinyarn is effectively freed from the surface of the package, even ifstrongly adhered thereto adjacent the lowermost windings of thechasesurface, and is directed to and retrieved by the suction inlet. Toguard against the possibility of the yarn end being disposed within orbelow the spinning ring, which could at times occur notwithstanding thebobbins elevation, an air blast is directed contemporaneously with theforegoing steps upwardly through the spinning ring along the surface ofthe package and toward the suction inlet thereabove. The blast upwardlyconveys a downwardly dangling end to the suction inlet for retrieval byit in the same manner as an end originally disposed above the ring.After the free end of the yarn has been retrieved, as determined by adetecting or timing device of suitable construction, beating andair-blasting of the surface of the bobbin package are preferablystopped, and the speed of its unwinding rotation is increased. Theincreased rate of the unwinding rotation of the bobbin package permits alength of yarn, succeeding the retrieved free end thereof and sufficientfor subsequently ensuing operations in the piecing cycle, to bewithdrawn so rapidly from the package as to greatly minimize if notaltogether obviate deterioration of the yarn, and also so as toappreciably reduce the time required for each complete piecing cycle.

Elevation of the spindle, and through it the desired elevation of theyam-bobbin package seated thereon, is achieved in a preferred embodimentof the invention by the same simple and reliable means employed forrotation-control of the spindle and package. Such means preferablycomprises a rotatable disc member having a high-friction peripheralsurface movable into and out of engagement with any convenient lowerportion of the spindle exposed beneath the bobbin seated thereon. Theaxis of rotation of the disc is skewed relative to the spindle axis in adirection such that upon engagement therebetween the spindle is urgedupwardly relative to the spindle rail, and relative to its supportingmount carried by such rail, until restrained by the so-called dofferguard" or other restraining mechanism customarily associated with such aspindle mount. The upward spindle movement permitted by such guards orrestraining mechanisms, which may be either of an internal or externalhook" type, varies somewhat depending upon construction and adjustment,but usually is in the order of approximately one-eighth of an inch.

Rotation of the bobbin in an unwinding direction and at varying speedsis achieved by varying the rotative speed of the disc member engagingthe supporting spindle. While such speed variation can be realized inmany different ways, as by use of a mechanical transmission, avariable-speed drive motor within a suitable electrical control circuitis preferably employed. The change in speed of rotation might occurafter the lapse of a selected and predetermined time interval by the useof time-delay means in the motor control circuit, as hereinafterdisclosed, or alternatively might occur in response to aphotoelectrically or otherwise sensed retrieval of the end of the bobbinyarn by the suction means.

The beater mechanism of the invention is so constructed and designed asto intermittently and not continuously engage the surface of the bobbinyarn, and so as to not abrade such yarn, and in an alternativeembodiment automatically frees itself of any yarn which might duringoperation inadvertently become wound or entangled thereabout. In keepingwith the means for directing an air blast upwardly through the spinningring, the beater is preferably mounted in fixed relationship to theinlet of the suction device for unitary movement therewith toward andaway from the bobbin-yarn package at the spinning frame delivery beingserviced. A flexible drive shaft connected to the beater mechanism andat its opposite end to suitable drive means within the main carriage ofthe piecing apparatus contributes significantly to the capability forsuch movement.

Other features and advantages of the invention will be in part evidentand in part pointed out hereinafter, in the following description ofillustrative embodiments of the invention, which should be read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary environmental perspective view, with some partsbroken away, showing several deliveries of a spinning frame serviced byan automatic yarn piecing apparatus embodying principles of the presentinvention, one of the deliveries having an end-down or broken yarncondition thereat;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of thesuction-retrieval head, air-blast nozzle and beater means of the piecingapparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary front elevation, partially in sectionand partially broken away, showing the rotatable disc and the FIG. 2components of the piecing apparatus in operation adjacent thespindle-mounted yarn-bobbin package of the spinning frame delivery ofFIG. 1 at which and enddown condition exists;

FIG. 4 is a plan view taken from FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electrical circuit includingthe drive motor for the rotatable disc of the piecing apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation of an alternative embodiment of the beaterof the piecing apparatus; and

FIG. 7 is a vertical section taken along the line 77 of FIG. 6.

The spinning frame S shown in FIG. 1 is of a conventional type includinga spindle rail llll on which are mounted a plurality of rotatablebobbin-supporting spindles 11 to each of which yarn is normally directedfrom spaced sets of drafting rolls including respective bottom and topfront delivery rolls 12 and 13. The yarn issuing at each delivery fromfront rolls l2 and 13 normally passes downwardly through a guide 14 andballoon control ring 60, and then through a traveler is movable about aspinning ring 16 encircling spindle l1 and the bobbin l8 removablyseated upon the spindle. All of the rings 16 are carried by a ring rail17 which reciprocates and moves axially of the spindles 1 1 to guide theyarn Y along the bobbins 18 as it is wound thereon by rotation of thespindles 11 in a clockwise direction through drive tapes 22.

The builder and pick-motion mechanisms (not shown) of spinning frame Sgovern the motion of ring rail 17 and therefore the type of wind of theyarn-packages formed upon bobbins 18: for purposes of presentillustration, it is assumed that these mechanisms are programmed toproduce filling-wind yarn packages, and that rail 17 reciprocatesthrough a constant traverse of, say, approximately 2 inches as it ismoved slowly and continuously upwardly from the lower and to the upperend portions of bobbins 18.

The mounts 19 by which spindles 11 are secured to spindle rail 10 may beany conventional construction including a doffer guard or other internalor external restraining mechanism (not shown) permitting limited, andonly limited, upward movement of the spindles relative to fixed rail 10and movable rail 17. The extent of the upward movement permitted by theguards or other mechanisms will vary somewhat depending upon theirparticular construction, but will usually be in the order ofapproximately one-eighth of an inch.

The yarn piecing apparatus YP shown in FIG. 1 includes a main carriage20 mounted in any suitable manner for movement longitudinally andforwardly of spinning frame S to a position of alignment with anydelivery thereof requiring servicing by reason of a broken yarn orend-down condition thereat. The carriages supporting, driving, aligningand related control mechanisms do not form part of the present inventionper se, and may be of any desired type. The apparatus YP specificallyshown for purposes of illustration is of the type wherein yarnpreviously spun and wound upon a bobbin of spinning frame S isretrieved, traveler threaded and then rejoined to the yarn issuing fromthe rolls 12, 13 at the delivery in question to efiect piecing.Principles of the invention are also applicable, however, to other typesof piecing apparatus, including those which change bobbins during thepiecing operation.

FIG. 1 generally illustrates the position assumed by carriage 20relative to a spindle 11 at a delivery, illustratively the third fromthe left-most of those shown, where the yarn has broken. The roving endof the broken yarn is shown at B as it is delivered downwardly overbottom roll 12 and into the conventional end-down suction orifice 21therebeneath. The other end is with that yarn B upon the partiallycompleted bobbin-yarn package carried by the spindle 11 at the subjectdelivery. The lower portion of carriage 20 mounts means including arotatable and translatorily movable disc 24 for elevating and forcontrolling the rotation of the spindle 11 at the delivery beingserviced. A sub-carriage 30 is carried by and movable vertically of theupwardly projecting portion of carriage 20 between an upper positionadjacent the elevation of delivery rolls 12, 13 of spinning frame S anda lowered position wherein its projecting arm 31 engages the frame sring rail 17. When in its lowered position, as in FIG. 1, sub-carriage30 is supported by arm 31 upon ring rail 17 for vertical movement withit. Sub-carriage 30 mounts a bracket 32 for automatically controlledlateral movement during a piecing cycle toward and away from spinningframe S, the bracket being shown in FIG. 1 in its retracted positionspaced from the spinning frame. Carried by and movable with bracket 32to a position adjacent the spindle-mounted bobbin 18 at the deliverybeing serviced are means for retrieving the yarn B wound thereon, to besubsequently described, and means (not shown) for threading theretrieved yarn through the ringmounted traveler at such delivery. Theupper portion of carriage of the piecing apparatus mounts a pivotallymovable piecing head 28, or any equivalent mechanism, which completeseach piecing cycle by transporting the retrieved and traveler-threadedyarn B to delivery rolls l2, l3 and joining the same with the yarn Bissuing therefrom.

The means for and method of retrieving yarn B from bobbin 18 aredescribed in detail hereinafter. The other components of piecingapparatus YP, including the travelerthreading means, piecing head 28 andthe specific mechanisms used for moving various elements of theapparatus relative to each other during the piecing cycle, form no partof the present invention as such and may be of any desired construction.

BOBBIN ELEVATING AND ROTATING Referring now to FIG. 3 as well as to FIG.1, the bobbin 18 at the spinning frame delivery being serviced byapparatus YP is, at the outset of the piecing cycle, elevated androtated relatively slowly in an unwinding direction, and thereafter isrotated at a faster speed in the same unwinding direction, by meansincluding disc 24. A rotatable shaft 34 extending upwardly from thelower portion of carriage 20 and through an arcuate slot 36 providedtherein mounts disc 24 at its upper end for rotary movement about itsaxis and also for translatory movement, generally along the path definedby slot 36, from an inoperative position spaced from spinning frame S(FIG. 1) to an operative position wherein the high-friction peripheralsurface of disc 24 engages any convenient lower portion of spindle l1exposed beneath the bobbin 18 seated thereon (FIG. 3). Shaft 34 isconnected at its lower end to means carried within the lower portion ofcarriage 20 for imparting the aforesaid translatory and rotary movementto it and disc 24. To reverse the normal winding rotation of spindle l land bobbin 18 under the impetus of drive tape 22, assumed to beclockwise as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1, shaft 34 and disc 24 arealso rotated in a clockwise direction (FIG. 3). Referring to FIG. 5,such rotation at the desired two different speeds may be achieved by avariable speed electric motor 38 drivably connected in any suitablemanner to shaft 34 and forming part of an electrical circuit connectedto a power source (not shown) and further including a main switch 40, atime-delay relay 42 having a normally closed contact 42--l and anormally open contact 42-2, adjustably-variable potentiometers 44, 46, acapacitor 48, a DIAC 50 and a TRIAC 52, the latter being known types ofthyristors or silicon control rectifiers. Closure of switch 40 at theoutset of a piecing cycle, at which time shaft 34 is moved towardspinning frame S so as to bring the periphery of disc 24 into engagementwith spindle ll, completes circuits through motor 38, relay 42,potentiometer 44, DIAC 50, and TRIAC 52. The adjustment of potentiometer44 is such that motor 38, and therefore the spindle l1 engaged by theperipheral edge of disc 24, is then driven relatively slowly in adirection producing counterclockwise or unwinding rotation of thespindle (FIG. 3), overcoming the impetus of belt 22 and causing slippagebetween it and the spindle. After the lapse of a desired brief interval,relay 42 times out, opening its contact 421 and closing contact 42-2.This in turn opens the circuit through potentiometer 44 and closes thatincluding potentiometer 46, which is so adjusted as to cause motor 38,and therefore disc 24 and spindle 11, to rotate more rapidly in the sameFIG. 3 directions until switch 40 is again opened. At that time yarnretrieval will have been completed, and relay 42 will restore itscontacts to their original conditions illustrated in FIG. 5.

The generally upright axis of rotation of shaft 34 and disc 24 is skewedsomewhat relative to the vertical axis of spindle l l, as may be bestseen from FIG. 3, such that engagement of spindle 11 by the rotatingdisc 24 not only reverses the spindles normal winding direction ofrotation, but also subjects the spindle to upwardly-directed liftingforces. These forces raise spindle 11 and the bobbin l8 seated thereonrelative to spindle rail 10 and ring rail 17 within the limits permittedby the doffer guard or other restraining mechanism (not shown)associated with the mount 19 by which spindle 11 is secured to rail 10.The upward movement permitted will generally be in the approximate orderof one-eighth of an inch, depending upon the type and adjustment of thedoffer guard of mount 19. Spindle l1 and bobbin 18 remain elevated forso long as rotating disc 24 is maintained in engagement with thespindle, which may be during the entire time that yarn B is retrievedfrom bobbin l8, and drop downwardly by gravity to their originalposition upon movement of disc 24 from spindle 11. Since bobbin 18 is atno time unseated from spindle 11, the difficulties attendant properlyseating and unseating many types of bobbins are totally avoided.

YARN RETRIEVAL While bobbin 12 is elevated and rotated in an unwindingdirection as described previously, yarn B thereon is retrieved by thecooperative effort of suction means including a suction head 54, beatermeans including rotatable beater 56, and airblast means including anozzle 58 (see FIGS. 1-4). Suction head 54, beater 56 and nozzle 58 aremounted in fixed relationship to each other upon bracket 32 ofsub-carriage 30 for unitary movement with bracket 32 between a retractedposition spaced from the spinning frame S (FIG. 1) and an advancedposition adjacent bobbin 18 and ring rail 17 (FIGS. 3 and 4), duringthat time when sub-carriage 30 is supported by ring rail 17. To permitthe aforesaid movement to freely transpire, flexible self-retractinghoses 62, 64 respectively connect suction head 54 and nozzle 58 toselectively energizable airsuction and air-blast means disposed withincarriage 20 of the piecing apparatus, and a flexible drive shaft 66similarly connects beater 56 to selectively actuable drive means withinthe carriage.

Suction head 54 includes an inlet 54 adapted during operation to bedisposed closely adjacent that surface of the yarn B upon bobbin 18immediately above the spinning ring 16 encircling such bobbin. At leastin the case when the bobbin-yarn package being formed upon spinningframe S is of the fillingwind type, inlet 54 preferably has, as shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, a slope and a height generally corresponding to the slopeand height of the inclined chase-surface of the package. It will beappreciated that while ring rail 17 is shown in FIG. 3 at about thelowest position of its downward traverse, that condition is not a staticone since rail 17 moves vertically all the while spinning frame S is inoperation.

Beater 56 is mounted closely adjacent inlet 54' of suction head 54 andincludes a center shaft 68 mounted at its upper end by a bearing 70 forrotation about an axis extending in spaced and generally parallelrelationship to the axis of spindle-mounted bobbin l8. Rotative movementis imparted to shaft 68 through flexible drive shaft 66 in a directionopposite to and at a speed considerably greater than that of theunwinding rotation of bobbin 18 As shown in FIGS. 24, a pair of flat andgenerally rectangularly-shaped blade members 72, 74 are carried by andextend equal distances generally radially outwardly from center shaft68, on opposite sides thereof, for engagement during rotation of theshaft with the surface of the yarn upon bobbin 18. Blades 72, 74 areformed of resilient material, such as rubber or plastic, such that theblades deform upon engagement with the yarn surface and sweep across thesame without abrading or otherwise injuring the yarn, as they deliverrepeated glancing blows to it. The terminal edge of each blade 72, 74 isbevelled, as best shown in FIG. 3, in the direction of movement of theblade across the yarn surface, so as to increase the contact areabetween the blades the the yarn surface and also so as to furtherminimize the possibility of injury to the yarn. The height of blades 72,74 is preferably at least equal to that of the chase-surface of the yarnupon bobbin 18, so that the entire vertical extent of such surface willbe engaged by the blades even when ring rail 17 is in the lowermost partof its traverse.

In the alternative beater construction of FIGS. 6 and 7, wherein thesame reference numerals with the addition of prime designations havebeen utilized to designate similar components, only a single resilientblade member 72, corresponding to the blade 72 of the first embodiment,is provided. Extending generally radially outwardly from the oppositeside of center shaft 68 is a more narrow metallic blade 76 terminatingin a cutting edge 78. During operation of the beater, blade 72' engagesthe surface of the yarn upon bobbin 18 in the same manner as blade 72 ofthe first embodiment. Due to its lesser radial extent, rigid blade 76does not engage the yarn surface at all. However, if the yarn Bdislodged from that upon bobbin 18 should inadvertently become wound orotherwise entangled the beater, during its operation, edge 78 of blade76 would sever the same and thus automatically free the beater of theentanglement.

Referring now once again to FIGS. 2-4, outlet 58 of airblast nozzle 58is during operation disposed beneath inlet 54' of suction head 54 andring rail 17, in closely adjacent relationship to the surface of theyarn B upon bobbin 18. Nozzle outlet 58' faces upwardly so as to directits air-blast along the surface of the yarn B through ring 16 and towardsuction head inlet 54. The vertical spacing between nozzle outlet 58 andsuction inlet 54' is, of course, sufficient to permit free lateralmovement of the components to and away from their operative positionadjacent bobbin 18.

OPERATION The operational steps of the method and apparatus will now bedescribed.

In FIG. 1, carriage of piecing apparatus YP has stopped in alignmentwith the delivery of spinning frame S at which an end-down condition hasoccurred and been detected. Roving yarn B, still issuing at suchdelivery from front delivery rolls 12, 13 passes into the spinning framesuction orifice 21 at such delivery. Tape 22 continues to drive spindlel1 and thus bobbin 18 in a winding direction, and ring rail 17 continuesits vertical movement. Sub-carriage 30 has been lowered to where itssupport arm 31 rests upon ring rail 17, such that the subcarriage andall components carried by it are supported by rail 17 for verticalmovement in unison therewith. Disc 24 and the various components carriedby bracket 32 of sub-carriage 30 are all in their static or inoperativeconditions and positions, spaced from spindle l1 and bobbin 18.

Disc 24 and bracket 32 are now moved toward spinning frame S so as toplace the disc and the various components carried by bracket 32 in theiroperative positions adjacent spindle 11 and bobbin 18 (see FIGS. 3 and4). Substantially contemporaneously with such movement, rotation of disc24 and of beater 18, and air-flow through hoses 62, 64, is commenced.Engagement of the rotating disc 24 with spindle l1 reverses the lattersnormal winding rotation and causes spindle 11 and bobbin 18 to rotate inunison in an unwinding direction, relatively slowly at this time due tothe then relatively slow speed of disc 24 and its drive motor 38. Due tothe skewed relationship existing between their axes of rotation,engagement of spindle l l by the rotating disc 24 also elevates thespindle and the bobbin l8 seated thereon relative to rails 10, 17,within the limit imposed by the doffer guard or other restrainingmechanism associated with spindle mount 19. Windin gs of yarn B whichotherwise would be shielded within ring 16 are therefore raised abovethe ring. If, by reason of the bobbins elevation or otherwise, the endof yarn B is disposed above ring 16, the same will be subjected to thebeating and sucking action of beater 56 and suction inlet 54,irrespective of the ends precise circumferential and longitudinallocation upon the bobbin-yarn package and irrespective of the preciseposition then occupied by ring rail 17 in its traversing movement, sincebobbin 18 is rotating in an unwinding direction and since substantiallythe entire height of the chase-surface of the package is spanned bysuction inlet 54' and beater blades 72, 74. Blades 72, 74, which arerotated by shafts 66,

68 considerably faster than and in a direction opposite to the rotationof bobbin 18, strike the surface of yarn B repeated glancing blowsdirected toward the closely adjacent suction inlet 54'. If the end ofyarn B adheres too strongly to the bobbin-yarn package to be dislodgedby suction alone, such blows effectively free the end and direct it tosuction inlet 54 for retrieval thereby. Abrasion of or other damage tothe yarn does not occur due to the resilient construction of the beaterblades and the intermittent, rather than continuous. nature of theirengagement with the surface of the bobbin-yarn package.

If the alternative beater construction of FIGS. 6 and 7 is utilized, thesame results and benefits ensue, and the beater in additionautomatically frees itself of any yarn which might inadvertently becomewound or entangled thereabout.

Notwithstanding the elevation of bobbin 18, the end of yarn B may insome instances be disposed below ring 16. This would be the case if, forexample, at the moment of yarn breakage the end dropped appreciablydownwardly from the chase-surface of the bobbin-yarn package.Irrespective of its location circumferentially of the package, such adownwardly dangling end is subjected during the bobbins unwindingrotation to the air-blast directed from nozzle outlet 58' upwardlythrough ring 16 and toward suction inlet 54'. The air-blast conveys thedownwardly dangling end upwardly for retrieval by suction inlet 54 inthe same manner as an end originally disposed above ring 16. The blastalso assists in the suctionretrieval of an end of the latter type,discouraging its possibly dropping downwardly through ring 16 followingdislodgement by beater 56.

Upon expiration of the brief time interval necessary for retrieval asaforesaid of the end of the yarn B within suction inlet 54, timing-outof relay 42 causes disc 24 and therefore bobbin 18 to be rotatedconsiderably more rapidly. By suitable connections with controlmechanisms within carriage 20, timing-out of relay 42 may also be usedto then stop rotation of beater means 56 and the air-flow through nozzle58. The suction air-flow continued through head 54 quickly withdrawsfrom the now rapidly rotating (still in an unwinding direction) bobbin18 a length of yarn B succeeding the retrieved end and sufiicient, bothas to length and as to twist-condition, for subsequent operations in thepiecing cycle. The rapidity with which the length of yarn B is sowithdrawn from bobbin 18 minimizes the possibility of its deteriorationdue to twist-loss and/or suction forces, and also increases theefficiency of the piecing apparatus by reducing the time required forcompletion of each piecing cycle.

Once the full desired length of yarn B is retrieved, rotation of disc 24is stopped, as by opening of switch 40, and suctionflow through head 54also preferably ceases. This may occur, in keeping with the initialchange in speed of rotation of disc 24, in response to expiration of apredetermined time interval. Alternatively, both the initial retrievalof the yarn end and/or the complete retrieval of a succeeding length ofthe yarn might be photoelectrically or otherwise detected, and suchdetection employed to control the operation of disc 24 and heater 56,and the air flows through head 54 and noule 58.

After the retrieval of yarn B, the same is traveler-threaded and thenjoined in various possible ways to the roving yarn B still issuing fromdelivery rolls 12, 13 of spinning frame 8. During these operations,which form no part of the present invention as such, suction head 54,beater 56 and nozzle 58 are moved away from bobbin 18. At the completionof the piecing cycle, disc 24 is similarly retracted to a position outof engagement with spindle 11, allowing the same to drop downwardly bygravity and to resume normal winding rotation under the impetus of tape22. The yarn passes automatically into guide 14 and balloon-control ring16, if the same are of the selfthreading type shown.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it is to be understood that this was for purposes ofillustration only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of theinvention being in accordance with the following claims.

That which is claimed is:

1. In the automatic servicing of a textile spinning frame or the like, amethod of retrieving yarn wound upon a bobbin seated upon a rail-mountedspindle and encircled by a spinning ring of the spinning frame,comprising the steps of:

elevating the spindle and the bobbin, while maintaining seatedrelationship therebetween, relative to the spindle rail and the spinningring; and

applying yarn-retrieving forces to the surface of the yarn wound uponthe elevated bobbin above the spinning ring.

2. A method as in claim 1, including directing an air blast upwardlythrough the spinning ring along the surface of the yarn wound upon thebobbin while applying said forces. 3. A method as in claim 1, includingrotating the elevated spindle and bobbin in an unwinding directioninitially at a first speed and thereafter at a second speed faster thansaid first speed, while applying said forces.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein the steps of elevating and rotatingthe spindle include engaging the same with the periphery of a rotatabledisc having its axis of rotation in skewed relationship to the axis ofthe spindle.

5. A method as in claim 3, wherein the forces applied to the surface ofthe yarn are suction forces and further including beating the surface ofthe yarn wound upon the bobbin above the spinning ring, in a directionopposite to the direction of movement of said surface during saidunwinding rotation of the spindle and bobbin, while applying saidsuction.

6. In the automatic servicing of a textile spinning frame or likemachine having a plurality of bobbins rotating in a winding direction, amethod of retrieving yarn wound upon a bobbin requiring end-downservicing, comprising the steps of: halting the winding rotation of thebobbin; rotating the bobbin at a first speed in an unwinding direction;while applying yarn retrieving forces to the surface of the yarn woundupon the bobbin, to retrieve the end of said yarn; and rotating thebobbin in an unwinding direction at a second speed greater than saidfirst speed, while continuing the application of said forces, to rapidlyunwind from the bobbin a length of yarn succeeding said retrieved endthereof.

7. A method as in claim 6, including directing an air blast against thesurface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin during, and generally towardthe location of, said force application to assist in said retrieval ofthe yarn end.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein the bobbin is seated upon a spindleof the spinning frame, and wherein the bobbin is rotated in an unwindingdirection by rotating the spindle seating the bobbin in said direction.

9. A method as in claim 8, wherein the spindle and bobbin are encircledby a spinning ring of the spinning frame and said forces are applied tothe surface of the yarn immediately above the spinning ring to retrievethe yarn end, and further including the step of elevating the spindleand the bobbin relative to the spinning ring during said forceapplication to assist in said retrieval of the yarn end.

10. A method as in claim 6, where said forces applied to the surface ofthe yarn are suction forces, and further including beating the surfaceof the yarn wound upon the bobbin during, and adjacent the location of,said suction application to assist in said retrieval of the yarn end.

11. In the automatic servicing of a textile spinning frame or the like,a method of retrieving yarn wound upon a bobbin encircled by a spinningring of the spinning frame, comprising the steps of:

applying suction to the surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin abovethe spinning ring; while discharging, at a location beneath saidspinning ring, a concentrated air blast directed upwardly through thespinning ring along the surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin andbeating the surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin above the spinningring while applying said suction.

12. A method as in claim 11, including elevating the bobbin relative tothe spinning ring during said suction application.

13. In the automatic servicing of a textile spinning frame or the like,a method of retrieving yarn wound upon a bobbin of the spinning frame,comprising the steps of:

applying suction to the surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin;striking the surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin during, andadjacent the location of said suction application, repeated blows by aresilient-bladed rotary beater; and

severing during operation of the beater any yarn becoming woundthereabout.

14. A method as in claim 13, including rotating the bobbin in anunwinding direction during said suction application initially at a firstspeed and thereafter at a second speed faster than said first speed.

15. A method as in claim 14, wherein the bobbin is seated upon a spindleand is encircled by a spinning ring of the spinning frame, and whereinthe bobbin is rotated in an unwinding direction by rotating the spindlein said direction, and further including the step of elevating thespindle and the bobbin relative to the spinning ring during said suctionapplication.

16. A method as in claim 15, wherein said suction is applied to thesurface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin above the spinning ring, andfurther including the step of directing an air blast upwardly throughthe spinning ring along the surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbinwhile applying said suction.

17. A method as in claim 13, including the step of directing an airblast against and generally longitudinally of the yarn wound upon thebobbin during, and in the direction of, said suction application.

18. In an automatic yarn piecing apparatus adapted to service a textilespinning frame or the like, said apparatus including a carriage movablealong said frame and having means for withdrawing from a bobbin on saidspinning frame yarn wound thereon, the improvement comprising:

means carried by and movable with said carriage for rotating the bobbinin an unwinding direction at a relatively slow speed during initialoperation of said withdrawing means, to facilitate the retrieval therebyof the end of the yarn wound upon the bobbin, and for rotating thebobbin at a relatively fast speed during succeeding operation of saidwithdrawing means, to thereby rapidly unwind from the bobbin a length ofyarn succeeding the retrieved end thereof.

19. Apparatus as in claim 18, wherein said bobbin-rotating meansincludes a drive motor, and a motor control circuit having time-delaymeans therein, said motor when actuated by said circuit initiallyoperating at a relatively slow speed and in response to said time-delaymeans thereafter operating at a relatively fast speed.

20. Apparatus as in claim 18, wherein the spinning frame includes anupright spindle seating the bobbin upon its upper portion, and saidbobbinrotating means includes a disc member engageable with a lowerportion of the spindle and rotatable in a direction opposite to thenormal direction of rotation thereof for rotating the spindle and thebobbin seated thereon in an unwinding direction.

21. Apparatus as in claim 20, wherein said disc member is rotatableabout an axis skewed relative to the axis of the spindle in a directioneffective, upon rotation of said disc member while in engagement withthe spindle, to elevate the spindle and the bobbin seated thereon.

22. Apparatus as in claim 18, wherein the spinning frame includes aspinning ring encircling the bobbin, said withdrawing means includes asuction head operable adjacent the surface of the yarn wound upon thebobbin above the spinning ring, and further including means fordirecting an air blast upwardly through the spinning ring along thesurface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin and toward said suction head.

23. Apparatus as in claim 18, and further including rotatable beatermeans adjacent said withdrawing means for during operation thereofstriking the surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin repeated glancingblows directed toward said withdrawing means.

24. In an automatic yarn piecing apparatus for servicing a textilespinning frame or the like having a yarn supporting bobbin, saidapparatus including a carriage, bracket means carried by said carriagefor movement relative thereto toward and away from the bobbin of thespinning frame, suction means including an inlet carried by said bracketand movable therewith for positioning during operation adjacent thebobbin and for withdrawing therefrom yarn previously wound upon thebobbin, and means for rotating the bobbin in an unwinding directionduring operation of said suction means, the improvement comprising:

beater means mounted by said bracket means in fixed adjacentrelationship to said suction inlet for unitary movement therewith towardthe bobbin and for during operation thereof striking the surface of theyarn wound upon the bobbin repeated glancing blows directed toward saidsuction inlet, said heater means including a center shaft rotatableduring operation about an axis spaced from and extending generallyparallel to the axis of the bobbin, and at least one blade carried byand extending generally radially outwardly from said center shaft, saidblade being formed of resilient material deformable upon engagement withthe surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin; and

drive means including a flexible drive shaft connected to said centershaft for during operation of said beater means rotating said centershaft about said axis thereof in a direction opposite to and at a speedgreater than the unwinding rotation of the bobbin.

25. Apparatus as in claim 24, wherein said blade has a terminal outeredge extending generally parallel to the axes of the bobbin and saidcenter shaft, said edge being bevelled along the length thereof in thedirection of movement of said blade across the surface of the yarn woundupon the bobbin.

26. Apparatus as in claim 24, wherein said beater means further includesa second blade formed of resilient material and extending generallyradially outwardly from said center shaft on the opposite side thereoffrom said first-mentioned blade.

27. Apparatus as in claim 26, wherein said blades each have a heightsubstantially corresponding to the height ofthe chasesurface of the yarnwound upon the bobbin.

28. In an automatic yarn piecing apparatus for servicing a textilespinning frame or the like and having suction means including an inletpositionable during operation adjacent a bobbin of the spinning framefor withdrawing therefrom yarn previously wound upon the bobbin, theimprovement comprising:

beater means mounted adjacent said suction means for during operationthereof striking the surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin repeatedglancing blows directed toward said suction inlet, said beater meansincluding a center shaft rotatable during operation about an axis spacedfrom and extending generally parallel to the axis of the bobbin, atleast one blade carried by and extending generally radially outwardlyfrom said center shaft, said blade being formed of resilient materialdeformable upon engagement with the surface of the yarn wound upon thebobbin, and means for severing yarn becoming wound about said beatermeans during operation thereof; and drive means including a flexibledrive shaft connected to said center shaft for during operation of saidbeater means rotating said center shaft about said axis thereof.

29. Apparatus as in claim 28, wherein said severing means includes arigid blade extending generally radially from said center shaft on theopposite side thereof and a lesser distance outwardly than saidresilient blade, said rigid blade having a sharpened outer edge spacedfrom the surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin.

30. In an automatic yarn piecing apparatus servicing a textile spinningframe or like machine having a spindle-mounted bobbin encircled by aspinning ring, said apparatus including means for withdrawing from thebobbin yarn wound thereon, said withdrawing means being disposed duringoperation adjacent the yarn wound upon the bobbin above the spinningring, the improvement comprising:

means for discharging, during the operation of and at a location beneathsaid withdrawing means, an air blast directed upwardly through thespinning ring and along the surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbintoward said withdrawing means.

31. Apparatus as in claim 30, wherein said withdrawing means includes asuction head having an inlet and said air blast means includes anoutlet, said suction inlet and air blast outlet being respectivelypositioned during operation above and below the spinning ring, and beingunitarily movable to and from said operating positions.

32. Apparatus as in claim 30, including means for elevating the bobbinrelative to the spinning ring during operation of said withdrawingmeans.

33. Apparatus as in claim 30, including rotatable beater means adjacentsaid withdrawing means for during operation thereof striking the surfaceof the yarn wound upon the bobbin repeated glancing blows directedtoward said withdrawing means.

34. In an automatic yarn piecing apparatus servicing a textile spinningframe or the like having a rail-mounted spindle seating a bobbinencircled by a spinning ring, said apparatus including means forwithdrawing from the bobbin yarn wound thereon, said withdrawing meansbeing positioned during operation adjacent the surface of the yarn uponthe bobbin above the spinning ring, the improvement comprising:

means engageable with the spindle for elevating the spindle and thebobbin seated thereon, during operation of said withdrawing means,relative to the spindle rail and the spinning ring.

35. Apparatus as in claim 34, wherein said elevating means includes amember engageable with a portion of the spindle exposed beneath thebobbin seated thereon.

36, Apparatus as in claim 34, wherein said elevating means includes adisc member engageable with the spindle and rotatable during suchengagement about an axis skewed relative to the axis of the spindle in adirection exerting an upward force on the spindle engaged thereby.

37. Apparatus as in claim 36, wherein said rotation of said disc memberrotates the spindle and the bobbin in an unwinding direction, andfurther including means operatively connected to said disc member forrotating the same at a relative slow speed during initial operation ofsaid withdrawing means and for thereafter rotating said disc member at arelatively fast speed.

38. In an automatic yarn piecing apparatus servicing a textile spinningframe or like machine having a rail-mounted spindle seating a bobbinencircled by a spinning ring, said apparatus having suction meansincluding a suction head inlet positioned during operation adjacent thesurface of the yarn upon the bobbin above the spinning ring forwithdrawing from the bobbin yarn wound thereon, and said apparatushaving a disc member engageable with the spindle for rotating thespindle and the bobbin in an unwinding direction during operation ofsaid suction means, the improvement comprising:

means mounting said disc member for rotation about an axis skewedrelative to the axis of the spindle in a direction such that engagementof the spindle by said rotating disc member upwardly displaces thespindle and the bobbin seated thereon relative to the spindle rail andthe spinning ring, thereby exposing additional windings of the yarnwound upon the bobbin to said suction means above the spinning ring;

air-blast means including a nozzle outlet positioned below the spinningring for directing an air blast upwardly along the surface of the yarnupon the bobbin through the spinning ring and toward said suction headinlet positioned thereabove, to thereby raise a downwardly dangling endof the yarn to said suction inlet for retrieval thereby;

rotary beater means mounted adjacent said inlet of said suction meansfor during operation thereof striking the surface of the yarn upon thebobbin repeated glancing blows said suction means of the end of the yarnupon the bobbin, and for thereafter rotating said disc member andtherefore the spindle and the bobbin at a relatively fast speed, toassist the rapid withdrawal by said suction means of a length of thebobbin yarn succeeding the retrieved end thereof.

1. In the automatic servicing of a textile spinning frame or the like, amethod of retrieving yarn wound upon a bobbin seated upon a rail-mountedspindle and encircled by a spiNning ring of the spinning frame,comprising the steps of: elevating the spindle and the bobbin, whilemaintaining seated relationship therebetween, relative to the spindlerail and the spinning ring; and applying yarn-retrieving forces to thesurface of the yarn wound upon the elevated bobbin above the spinningring.
 2. A method as in claim 1, including directing an air blastupwardly through the spinning ring along the surface of the yarn woundupon the bobbin while applying said forces.
 3. A method as in claim 1,including rotating the elevated spindle and bobbin in an unwindingdirection initially at a first speed and thereafter at a second speedfaster than said first speed, while applying said forces.
 4. A method asin claim 3, wherein the steps of elevating and rotating the spindleinclude engaging the same with the periphery of a rotatable disc havingits axis of rotation in skewed relationship to the axis of the spindle.5. A method as in claim 3, wherein the forces applied to the surface ofthe yarn are suction forces and further including beating the surface ofthe yarn wound upon the bobbin above the spinning ring, in a directionopposite to the direction of movement of said surface during saidunwinding rotation of the spindle and bobbin, while applying saidsuction.
 6. In the automatic servicing of a textile spinning frame orlike machine having a plurality of bobbins rotating in a windingdirection, a method of retrieving yarn wound upon a bobbin requiringend-down servicing, comprising the steps of: halting the windingrotation of the bobbin; rotating the bobbin at a first speed in anunwinding direction; while applying yarn retrieving forces to thesurface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin, to retrieve the end of saidyarn; and rotating the bobbin in an unwinding direction at a secondspeed greater than said first speed, while continuing the application ofsaid forces, to rapidly unwind from the bobbin a length of yarnsucceeding said retrieved end thereof.
 7. A method as in claim 6,including directing an air blast against the surface of the yarn woundupon the bobbin during, and generally toward the location of, said forceapplication to assist in said retrieval of the yarn end.
 8. A method asin claim 7, wherein the bobbin is seated upon a spindle of the spinningframe, and wherein the bobbin is rotated in an unwinding direction byrotating the spindle seating the bobbin in said direction.
 9. A methodas in claim 8, wherein the spindle and bobbin are encircled by aspinning ring of the spinning frame and said forces are applied to thesurface of the yarn immediately above the spinning ring to retrieve theyarn end, and further including the step of elevating the spindle andthe bobbin relative to the spinning ring during said force applicationto assist in said retrieval of the yarn end.
 10. A method as in claim 6,where said forces applied to the surface of the yarn are suction forces,and further including beating the surface of the yarn wound upon thebobbin during, and adjacent the location of, said suction application toassist in said retrieval of the yarn end.
 11. In the automatic servicingof a textile spinning frame or the like, a method of retrieving yarnwound upon a bobbin encircled by a spinning ring of the spinning frame,comprising the steps of: applying suction to the surface of the yarnwound upon the bobbin above the spinning ring; while discharging, at alocation beneath said spinning ring, a concentrated air blast directedupwardly through the spinning ring along the surface of the yarn woundupon the bobbin and beating the surface of the yarn wound upon thebobbin above the spinning ring while applying said suction.
 12. A methodas in claim 11, including elevating the bobbin relative to the spinningring during said suction application.
 13. In the automatic servicing ofa textile spinning frame or the like, a method of retrieving yarn woundupon a bobbin of the spinning frame, Comprising the steps of: applyingsuction to the surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin; striking thesurface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin during, and adjacent thelocation of said suction application, repeated blows by aresilient-bladed rotary beater; and severing during operation of thebeater any yarn becoming wound thereabout.
 14. A method as in claim 13,including rotating the bobbin in an unwinding direction during saidsuction application initially at a first speed and thereafter at asecond speed faster than said first speed.
 15. A method as in claim 14,wherein the bobbin is seated upon a spindle and is encircled by aspinning ring of the spinning frame, and wherein the bobbin is rotatedin an unwinding direction by rotating the spindle in said direction, andfurther including the step of elevating the spindle and the bobbinrelative to the spinning ring during said suction application.
 16. Amethod as in claim 15, wherein said suction is applied to the surface ofthe yarn wound upon the bobbin above the spinning ring, and furtherincluding the step of directing an air blast upwardly through thespinning ring along the surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin whileapplying said suction.
 17. A method as in claim 13, including the stepof directing an air blast against and generally longitudinally of theyarn wound upon the bobbin during, and in the direction of, said suctionapplication.
 18. In an automatic yarn piecing apparatus adapted toservice a textile spinning frame or the like, said apparatus including acarriage movable along said frame and having means for withdrawing froma bobbin on said spinning frame yarn wound thereon, the improvementcomprising: means carried by and movable with said carriage for rotatingthe bobbin in an unwinding direction at a relatively slow speed duringinitial operation of said withdrawing means, to facilitate the retrievalthereby of the end of the yarn wound upon the bobbin, and for rotatingthe bobbin at a relatively fast speed during succeeding operation ofsaid withdrawing means, to thereby rapidly unwind from the bobbin alength of yarn succeeding the retrieved end thereof.
 19. Apparatus as inclaim 18, wherein said bobbin-rotating means includes a drive motor, anda motor control circuit having time-delay means therein, said motor whenactuated by said circuit initially operating at a relatively slow speedand in response to said time-delay means thereafter operating at arelatively fast speed.
 20. Apparatus as in claim 18, wherein thespinning frame includes an upright spindle seating the bobbin upon itsupper portion, and said bobbin-rotating means includes a disc memberengageable with a lower portion of the spindle and rotatable in adirection opposite to the normal direction of rotation thereof forrotating the spindle and the bobbin seated thereon in an unwindingdirection.
 21. Apparatus as in claim 20, wherein said disc member isrotatable about an axis skewed relative to the axis of the spindle in adirection effective, upon rotation of said disc member while inengagement with the spindle, to elevate the spindle and the bobbinseated thereon.
 22. Apparatus as in claim 18, wherein the spinning frameincludes a spinning ring encircling the bobbin, said withdrawing meansincludes a suction head operable adjacent the surface of the yarn woundupon the bobbin above the spinning ring, and further including means fordirecting an air blast upwardly through the spinning ring along thesurface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin and toward said suction head.23. Apparatus as in claim 18, and further including rotatable beatermeans adjacent said withdrawing means for during operation thereofstriking the surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin repeated glancingblows directed toward said withdrawing means.
 24. In an automatic yarnpiecing apparatus for servicing a textile spinning frame or the likehaving a yarn supporting bobbin, said apparatus includIng a carriage,bracket means carried by said carriage for movement relative theretotoward and away from the bobbin of the spinning frame, suction meansincluding an inlet carried by said bracket and movable therewith forpositioning during operation adjacent the bobbin and for withdrawingtherefrom yarn previously wound upon the bobbin, and means for rotatingthe bobbin in an unwinding direction during operation of said suctionmeans, the improvement comprising: beater means mounted by said bracketmeans in fixed adjacent relationship to said suction inlet for unitarymovement therewith toward the bobbin and for during operation thereofstriking the surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin repeated glancingblows directed toward said suction inlet, said beater means including acenter shaft rotatable during operation about an axis spaced from andextending generally parallel to the axis of the bobbin, and at least oneblade carried by and extending generally radially outwardly from saidcenter shaft, said blade being formed of resilient material deformableupon engagement with the surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin; anddrive means including a flexible drive shaft connected to said centershaft for during operation of said beater means rotating said centershaft about said axis thereof in a direction opposite to and at a speedgreater than the unwinding rotation of the bobbin.
 25. Apparatus as inclaim 24, wherein said blade has a terminal outer edge extendinggenerally parallel to the axes of the bobbin and said center shaft, saidedge being bevelled along the length thereof in the direction ofmovement of said blade across the surface of the yarn wound upon thebobbin.
 26. Apparatus as in claim 24, wherein said beater means furtherincludes a second blade formed of resilient material and extendinggenerally radially outwardly from said center shaft on the opposite sidethereof from said first-mentioned blade.
 27. Apparatus as in claim 26,wherein said blades each have a height substantially corresponding tothe height of the chase-surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin. 28.In an automatic yarn piecing apparatus for servicing a textile spinningframe or the like and having suction means including an inletpositionable during operation adjacent a bobbin of the spinning framefor withdrawing therefrom yarn previously wound upon the bobbin, theimprovement comprising: beater means mounted adjacent said suction meansfor during operation thereof striking the surface of the yarn wound uponthe bobbin repeated glancing blows directed toward said suction inlet,said beater means including a center shaft rotatable during operationabout an axis spaced from and extending generally parallel to the axisof the bobbin, at least one blade carried by and extending generallyradially outwardly from said center shaft, said blade being formed ofresilient material deformable upon engagement with the surface of theyarn wound upon the bobbin, and means for severing yarn becoming woundabout said beater means during operation thereof; and drive meansincluding a flexible drive shaft connected to said center shaft forduring operation of said beater means rotating said center shaft aboutsaid axis thereof.
 29. Apparatus as in claim 28, wherein said severingmeans includes a rigid blade extending generally radially from saidcenter shaft on the opposite side thereof and a lesser distanceoutwardly than said resilient blade, said rigid blade having a sharpenedouter edge spaced from the surface of the yarn wound upon the bobbin.30. In an automatic yarn piecing apparatus servicing a textile spinningframe or like machine having a spindle-mounted bobbin encircled by aspinning ring, said apparatus including means for withdrawing from thebobbin yarn wound thereon, said withdrawing means being disposed duringoperation adjacent the yarn wound upon the bobbin above the spinningring, the improvement comprising: means for discharging, during tHeoperation of and at a location beneath said withdrawing means, an airblast directed upwardly through the spinning ring and along the surfaceof the yarn wound upon the bobbin toward said withdrawing means. 31.Apparatus as in claim 30, wherein said withdrawing means includes asuction head having an inlet and said air blast means includes anoutlet, said suction inlet and air blast outlet being respectivelypositioned during operation above and below the spinning ring, and beingunitarily movable to and from said operating positions.
 32. Apparatus asin claim 30, including means for elevating the bobbin relative to thespinning ring during operation of said withdrawing means.
 33. Apparatusas in claim 30, including rotatable beater means adjacent saidwithdrawing means for during operation thereof striking the surface ofthe yarn wound upon the bobbin repeated glancing blows directed towardsaid withdrawing means.
 34. In an automatic yarn piecing apparatusservicing a textile spinning frame or the like having a rail-mountedspindle seating a bobbin encircled by a spinning ring, said apparatusincluding means for withdrawing from the bobbin yarn wound thereon, saidwithdrawing means being positioned during operation adjacent the surfaceof the yarn upon the bobbin above the spinning ring, the improvementcomprising: means engageable with the spindle for elevating the spindleand the bobbin seated thereon, during operation of said withdrawingmeans, relative to the spindle rail and the spinning ring.
 35. Apparatusas in claim 34, wherein said elevating means includes a memberengageable with a portion of the spindle exposed beneath the bobbinseated thereon.
 36. Apparatus as in claim 34, wherein said elevatingmeans includes a disc member engageable with the spindle and rotatableduring such engagement about an axis skewed relative to the axis of thespindle in a direction exerting an upward force on the spindle engagedthereby.
 37. Apparatus as in claim 36, wherein said rotation of saiddisc member rotates the spindle and the bobbin in an unwindingdirection, and further including means operatively connected to saiddisc member for rotating the same at a relative slow speed duringinitial operation of said withdrawing means and for thereafter rotatingsaid disc member at a relatively fast speed.
 38. In an automatic yarnpiecing apparatus servicing a textile spinning frame or like machinehaving a rail-mounted spindle seating a bobbin encircled by a spinningring, said apparatus having suction means including a suction head inletpositioned during operation adjacent the surface of the yarn upon thebobbin above the spinning ring for withdrawing from the bobbin yarnwound thereon, and said apparatus having a disc member engageable withthe spindle for rotating the spindle and the bobbin in an unwindingdirection during operation of said suction means, the improvementcomprising: means mounting said disc member for rotation about an axisskewed relative to the axis of the spindle in a direction such thatengagement of the spindle by said rotating disc member upwardlydisplaces the spindle and the bobbin seated thereon relative to thespindle rail and the spinning ring, thereby exposing additional windingsof the yarn wound upon the bobbin to said suction means above thespinning ring; air-blast means including a nozzle outlet positionedbelow the spinning ring for directing an air blast upwardly along thesurface of the yarn upon the bobbin through the spinning ring and towardsaid suction head inlet positioned thereabove, to thereby raise adownwardly dangling end of the yarn to said suction inlet for retrievalthereby; rotary beater means mounted adjacent said inlet of said suctionmeans for during operation thereof striking the surface of the yarn uponthe bobbin repeated glancing blows directed toward said suction inlet,to free from the surface of the yarn an end thereof adhered to suchsurface; and means connected to said disc member for rotating the sameinitially at a relatively slow speed, to initially rotate the spindleengaged thereby and the bobbin seated upon the spindle at a relativelyslow speed to assist the retrieval by said suction means of the end ofthe yarn upon the bobbin, and for thereafter rotating said disc memberand therefore the spindle and the bobbin at a relatively fast speed, toassist the rapid withdrawal by said suction means of a length of thebobbin yarn succeeding the retrieved end thereof.